Wisdom, experience trump reflexes at the Wii games

Al Egan is no Michael Phelps, but he still could grab some gold this week.

Sure, Egan is 88 years old to the Olympic swim champ's 23. His event is Wii video bowling in Virginia Beach rather than the butterfly in Beijing.

Instead of struggling against a little water in his goggles, Egan has a wheelchair and fading eyesight to contend with:

"It's hard for me to see where the pins are, so I just throw the ball where I think it should go," Egan said good-naturedly.

Spirit-wise, Egan's all over gold medalist Phelps. Egan and other residents at the Marian Manor assisted living facility have been competing in their own Wii Olympics during the world Games in Beijing.

Dozens of residents in nine long-term-care facilities in the same chain are competing against one another in the video game tournament, all at their own centers from Richmond to Roanoke and from Reston to Virginia Beach.

Once the purview of the teen set, the Nintendo sports game - with its hand-held controllers that move video characters across a TV screen - are a growing phenomenon at retirement and rehab centers across the country.

Seniors and activity directors alike sing its praises:

Swinging the remote controllers like golf clubs and tennis racquets gives residents range-of-motion exercise in their arms.

Bowling and boxing give them a chance to compete and socialize, and even have a blood-stirring knockout punch without their walkers and oxygen tanks getting in the way.

Their children and grandchildren - not so keen on playing pinochle - will gladly go up against them in a video game.

The bowling alley and putting green backdrops on the screen remind them of sports they played in younger years.

"If I could stand up, I'd prefer the real thing," Egan said. "But I can't, so I'm enjoying this."

Some had never picked up a game controller before the center received a couple of video sets this year. A family donated two Wiis in memory of a relative who had been a longtime resident.

Last Thursday, the competition was more friendly than cutthroat. Egan coached 93-year-old competitor Jack Carlin about which buttons to press on the controller.

"If you let go of the trigger too early or too late, then you don't get anything," Egan said. "If you can't see the ball, get a little closer. OK, now sweep. There you go."

Egan wasn't boastful about his own score. "See, there," he said, pointing to the number on the screen. "Now that stinks. I know you can do better than that."

Maybe he was trying for a psychological edge.

Husband-and-wife team Richard and Severina Bighley came up next, a duo to keep an eye on because they bowled in their younger days.

"I like this better," said 85-year-old Severina Bighley, whose 2-year-old granddaughter, Gabriella Asfaw, cheered her on. "It's not as much work."

Administrator Desiree Mitchell said it took a while for residents to warm up to the electronic game. "At first it seemed challenging, because their generation was not the computer age. But once they saw how realistic the games were, they took to it."

Richard Bighley rolled a couple of strikes right off, giving him a shot at some bling by the games' end.

Did the 82-year-old contender endure years of grueling practices, like Olympic icon Phelps, to prepare for this moment of glory?

"I started three days ago," Bighley said.

Friday will bring closing ceremonies at which gold, silver and bronze medals will grace the winning players. A touch of China - fortune cookies and tea - will be served as international flags fly.

Sooner or later, though, the hard-core players are likely to migrate back to the Wii player in the corner.

"It's fun," said Severina Bighley, who gives a quick twist to her wrist as she swings the controller. "I could get addicted if I wanted to."

Elizabeth Simpson, (757) 446-2635, elizabeth.simpson@pilotonline.com